mirrors, it may be interesting to note the following extract from
"The Natural History of Ireland," by Dr. Gerard Boate, Thomas
Molyneux M.D., F.R.S., and others, which shows that 150 years ago
Parsonstown was famous for its glass:--

"We shall conclude this chapter with the glass, there having been
several glasshouses set up by the English in Ireland, none in Dublin
or other cities, but all of them in the country; amongst which the
principal was that of Birre, a market town, otherwise called
Parsonstown, after one Sir Lawrence Parsons, who, having purchased
that lordship, built a goodly house upon it; his son William Parsons
having succeeded him in the possession of it; which town is situate
in Queen's County, about fifty miles (Irish) to the southwest of
Dublin, upon the borders of the two provinces of Leinster and Munster;
from this place Dublin was furnished with all sorts of window and
drinking glasses, and such other as commonly are in use. One part of
the materials, viz., the sand, they had out of England; the other,
to wit the ashes, they made in the place of ash-tree, and used no
other. The chiefest difficulty was to get the clay for the pots to
melt the materials in; this they had out of the north."--Chap. XXI.,
Sect. VIII. "Of the Glass made in Ireland."

Birr Castle itself is a noble mansion with reminiscences from the
time of Cromwell. It is surrounded by a moat and a drawbridge of
modern construction, and from its windows beautiful views can be had
over the varied features of the park. But while the visitors to
Parsonstown will look with great interest on this residence of an
Irish landlord, whose delight it was to dwell in his own country, and
among his own people, yet the feature which they have specially come
to observe is not to be found in the castle itself. On an extensive